Football loses to No. 15 Harvard University in final minutes of Ivy showdown

In the purest form of a heartbreaker if there ever could be, the No.22 Dartmouth football team lost 14-13 to No.15 Harvard University on Friday night after holding a lead for the first 59:22 of the game.

After completing a 39-yard touchdown pass on 4th-and-12 with under seven minutes left in the fourth quarter, Crimson quarterback Scott Hosch capped another drive with a throw for a score with 38 seconds remaining. Big Green quarterback Dalyn Williams '16 quickly moved the ball upfield to manufacture a last gasp effort, but kicker Alex Gakenheimer '17 saw his field goal attempt blocked with one second left.

The loss moves Dartmouth (6-1, 3-1 Ivy) to second in the Ivy League standings, while Harvard (7-0, 4-0 Ivy) now has the inside track to win its fourth conference title in five years, and potentially tie the Big Green for most in Ivy history.

The final scoreline plainly did not reflect the better team for most of the game. While Dartmouth’s offensive successes did not translate to as many points as the team would have wanted, Williams and passing game regained their rhythm on Friday night. The quarterback managed to connect on several deep throws, and the offensive line in particular granted excellent protection and time to throw.

Above all else, the Big Green defense flourished for all but the final minutes of the game. The unit forced three turnovers deep in its own territory, and executed a suffocating goal-line stand at the beginning of the fourth quarter that saw Harvard—starting from the four-yard line and including a first down conversion—rush seven times for only three yards, ultimately turning the ball over on downs.